John William Finn
John William Finn (July 23, 1909 – May 27, 2010) was an American sailor in the United States Navy. He served as a chief petty officer. He received the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the attack on Pearl Harbor in World War II. Finn was the oldest living Medal of Honor recipient in the United States and the last living of the Pearl Harbor recipients.[3]
| John William Finn | |
|---|---|
 John William Finn wearing his Medal of Honor | |
| Born | July 23, 1909 Los Angeles, California |
| Died | May 27, 2010 (aged 100) Chula Vista, California |
| Place of burial | Saint Carmel Cemetery,[1] Campo Indian Reservation[2] (32°39′03″N 116°21′54″W / 32.650866°N 116.365063°WCoordinates: 32°39′03″N 116°21′54″W / 32.650866°N 116.365063°W) |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1926–1956 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Battles/wars | World War II • Attack on Pearl Harbor |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Purple Heart |
Early life
Finn was born on July 23, 1909 in Compton, California. Finn dropped out of school after the seventh grade.[4] He then attended General Aviation Utilities Training at Naval Station Great Lakes. In 1939, Finn married his wife Alice Finn.
Pearl harbor and after
As a chief aviation ordnanceman stationed at Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay, he earned the medal by manning a machine gun from an exposed position throughout the attack, despite being repeatedly wounded. He continued to serve in the Navy and in 1942 was commissioned an ensign.
In 1947 he was reverted to chief petty officer, eventually rising to lieutenant before his 1956 retirement. In his later years he made many appearances at events celebrating veterans. At the time of his death, Finn was the oldest living Medal of Honor recipient and the last living recipient from the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Personal life
His wife, Alice Finn, died in 1998.[5] Since 1956, Finn lived in a ranch in Live Oak Springs, near Pine Valley, California.
Death
Finn died at age 100 on the morning of May 27, 2010, at the Chula Vista Veterans Home from natural causes. He was buried besides his wife at the Campo Indian Reservation's cemetery, after a memorial service in El Cajon.[6]
John William Finn Media
Alice Finn (left) admires the Medal of Honor her husband John W. Finn (right) received for his defense of Naval Air Station Kaneohe Bay during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941.
Finn, seated at bottom right, with other Medal of Honor recipients during a celebration of his 100th birthday 25 July 2009. Front row, left to right: James Allen Taylor; Sybil Stockdale, widow of James Stockdale; John W.
Hearse carrying the remains of Finn.
U.S. Navy ferry boat John W. Finn
John W. Finn (left) at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in 2001
Medal of Honor, US Navy
References
- ↑ Lieut John William Finn at Find a Grave
"List by Alphabet ( F-J )". Medal of Honor Historical Society of the United States. 2013. Retrieved March 23, 2013.FINN, John William (World War II) Saint Carmel Cemetery (Campo Reservation Cemetery), Live Oak Springs, California
Bob Hufford (May 27, 2010). "Lieut John William Finn". Find a Grave. Retrieved April 6, 2013. - ↑ Willbanks, James H., ed. (2011). America's Heroes: Medal of Honor Recipients from the Civil War to Afghanistan. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. p. 183. ISBN 9781598843934. Retrieved March 23, 2013.
- ↑ "John Finn, Medal of Honor Winner, Dies at 100". New York Times. May 27, 2010. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
- ↑ Collier, Peter (2006). Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call of Duty. New York: Workman Publishing Company. p. 83. ISBN 978-1-57965-314-9. Retrieved October 6, 2009.
- ↑ Shapiro, T. Rees (May 29, 2010). Lt. John W. Finn, Medal of Honor recipient, Dies At 100. p. B5. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/28/AR2010052804477.html.
- ↑ Onell R. Soto; Jeanette Steele (June 4, 2010). Family and friends bid farewell to John Finn. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2010/jun/03/family-and-friends-bid-farewell-john-finn/. Retrieved March 23, 2013.
Blanca Gonzalez (May 28, 2010). John Finn, hero at Pearl Harbor, dies at 100. http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2010/may/27/john-finn-hero-at-pearl-harbor-dies-at-100/. Retrieved March 23, 2013.
Other websites
Media related to John William Finn at Wikimedia Commons
- John Finn (2011). "John Finn, Medal of Honor, WWII". Medal of Honor Book.